- EDITORIAL-
Co
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et- n provide
opportuni
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MUSKEGO
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56 E. BROAD AY, US EGO
-739-1219
Ad Circulation - 739-1203
BWPC President wants
lack women more
}nvolved politically
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� If community gets cut tin'
'Cut u in or cut it out'. That rallying cry needs to
echo up and down the streest of Mu kegon in the com­
ing year.
Blacks and poor people from across the city need to
com together to cut them elves in on the city's eco-.
nomi pie sweetened so strongly with federal funds.
In 1985 Black and p or people need to get it for
them lve, becau e tho in power have demonstrated
they could care le about following federal guidelines
for p or and minority participation in economic
development projects.
Ca in Point: 0 minority contractors - absolutely
none - involved in the current construction of the hotel
downtown. That project was financed heavily with
HUD finds and publically backed bonds. To add insult
to injury, the city has established a goal of nine per­
cent of the construction jobs for minority workers.
Case' in Point: inoritie have received less than
one percent of the revolving loan, money made available
by the County eoonomic dev ent corporation.
The were originally federal funds and theoretically
re suppo d to be helping improve the lives of low and
middle income folks.
Case in Point: Job at city hall. The AACP has the
city in court over thi one.
When the city needs federal funds they reach into
the neighborhood of the poor and get the statistics they
need; deteriorating housing, unemployment, ADC.
On the other hand when it comes to enjoying the
federal funds their vision stop at the cou ty club
boundaries.
The poor earn the federal funds; the rich pend them.
So what can be done to "cut us in?"
There will be three seats on the city commission up
for election this fall.
e urge the AACP, the S CLC, the elson eigh­
borhood ociation the sororities fraternities block
clubs and civic group to band together to push for one
goal: election of three People's candidates to the
uskegon City Commission.
coalition of gra -roots organizations could pull
it off if they start cuttin' now.
�O YOU HAVE NEWS FOR THE CITIZEN?
Call LINDA DIXON at 739·8825
betwe n 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
with your club or church announcements,
weddings, births, birthdays, school news,
honors, n w job, promotions ...
By Alfred ilIiam
Edna Shannon-Jack on is the
first chairperson of the u ke­
gon County Black Women's
Political Caucus for the year of
1985.
Ms. Shannon-Jack n was
born in Chicago Illinois and
came to u egon in Septem-·
ber of 1943.
She attended Muskegon's
public chools and in 1948
married Henry Wright.
s. Shannon-Jackson be-
came the first Bla k sales clerk
to be hired at Grossman's
Department Store in Muskegon
in the 1960's.
She moved to Chicago in
1968 and became an employ­
ee of Gateway ational Banks
where she worked as a book­
keeper, vault keeper and cus­
to mer services.
She returned to Muskegon
in 1971 and was employed
at a local oil company as a
secretary-receptionist. In 1977
he went to work for " very
omans Place" as counsellor­
advocate in the "Rape/Spou
Assault Crisis Center."
Ms. Shannon-Jackson was.
promoted to the directorship
of the Center in ] 979.
Presently she is volenteering
her rvices as community
liaison for minorities at the
Muskegon Community College.
s. Shannon-J ackson is a
member of the AACP, the
Urban League. She is a past
secretary of the Democratic
Womens Club, and a Demo­
cratic precinct delegate for
Dalton Township.
She is an Eastern Star mem­
ber a pa t president of El­
Joy, Temple o. 1208
I.B.P.O.E.W., Board member of
lege and the Council of Child
Abu (Muskegon County.
Muskegon-Oceana C.A.A.P., past
chairman of the Community
Housing Re ource Board mem­
ber of Women' Resource oun­
cil uskegon Community Col-
their every day live are in­
fluenced by politics.
s. Shannon-Jackson is c n­
cerned that more Black worn n
a ert them elves p lticially. A
he pointed out, more and more
Black women are the head of a
ED ASHA
o -JACKSO
Ms. Shannon-Jackson tated
that she intends to continue
the B.W.P.C.'s present program
purpose with empha is upon
more workshops and seminars
in order to educate the inor­
ity Women of Mu egon Coun­
ty about the Political process.
She feels there are too many
minority women who have not
been interested in politics, be­
cau they d not realize that
single family and they mu t b
concerned about what i in the
best intere t of the children.
s. Shannon-Jack n i th
mother of 10 children. II
finished condary hools nd
five have one on to colle
studies. She h 23 grandchil­
dren and i the daughter f
David and va Evan, who h v
been talwart civic -leader
the Blue Lake Dalton Town­
hip area.